MPP to Boycott Kellogg's Over Dismissal of Phelps

"Kellogg's is telling young people that drunk driving is okay, but using a social relaxant that's safer than beer gets you fired" - MPP executive director Rob Kampia

Michael Phelps Courtesy: espn-att.starwave.com

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Joining a growing coalition of individuals and organizations, the Marijuana Policy Project today lent its support to the burgeoning boycott of cereal giant Kellogg's over its treatment of Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps.

Kellogg's announced last week that it would not renew its endorsement contract with Phelps in light of a published photo of the swimmer inhaling from a bong, saying his behavior is "not consistent with the image of Kellogg."

"Kellogg's dismissal of Phelps is hypocritical and disgusting, and our members are angrier than I've ever seen them," said MPP executive director Rob Kampia. "Kellogg's had no problem signing up Phelps when he had a conviction for drunk driving, an illegal act that could actually have killed someone. To drop him for choosing to relax with a substance that's safer than beer is an outrage, and it sends a dangerous message to young people."

MPP noted that compared to alcohol, marijuana is scientifically documented to be less addictive and far less toxic. While alcohol is a well-documented contributor to violent, aggressive and reckless behavior, marijuana "reduces the likelihood of violence during intoxication," according to the journal Addictive Behaviors. Organizations endorsing the boycott include the Drug Policy Alliance, Students for Sensible Drug Policy and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

"Kellogg's is telling young people that drunk driving is okay, but using a social relaxant that's safer than beer gets you fired," Kampia said. "That's not just outrageous, it's potentially lethal. We all know that boycotts are difficult to pull off, but the 100 million Americans who've made marijuana this nation's number one cash crop represent a lot of buying power -- buying power that Kellogg's may wish it hadn't alienated."

On Saturday, the Huffington Post reported that the company is getting so many complaints that it had set up a special line to handle them all -- with the line for comments about Phelps actually listed ahead of one for concerns or questions about the recall of salmonella-tainted peanut butter.

Source: MarijuanaPolicy.org.

Salem-News.com articles on Michael Phelps:
Give Michael Phelps a Break by Tim King
Michael Phelps Smokes Pot: The Sky is Falling and He'll Go to Hell in a Handbasket by Dr. Phillip Leveque

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